ChatBook Pro for Mac

In most situations, chatting with friends on Facebook requires viewing the full site. For those willing to pay a small price, ChatBook Pro for Mac provides a minimalistic interface to participate in chats without being on the Facebook page.

While there is no free version of the program available, the full, unlimited program costs only $2.99 through the App store. Since Apple hosts the app, downloading and installation were seamless. ChatBook Pro for Mac immediately opened and prompted the user to sign in using a Facebook account. Once the user is signed in, the program opens on the left side of the screen in a small sidebar. The top of the interface clearly shows the status alerts of the user's friends, while the main portion lists friends available for chat online. The appearance of the program, including the background, can be changed through a preference menu. The program can be repositioned on the screen, and sounds can alert the user of incoming messages and other events. Overall, the program functions cleanly, but doesn't add any functions above what the main Facebook page provides.

For those users trying to chat via Facebook and keep their screens uncluttered, ChatBook Pro for Mac works well but has a small price for use.